SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, June 1, 2010) - Major League Soccer and the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) today announced that Real Salt Lake forward Álvaro Saborío was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Month for May. The Costa Rican international recorded four goals and three assists in five games, helping Real Salt Lake to a 5-0-0 record in May and the first-ever five-game winning streak in the club's six-year history.
In addition to starting all five games in May, the 28-year-old Saborío recorded a goal or an assist in each match, tying his teammate Javier Morales and head coach Jason Kreis for Real Salt Lake's longest point-scoring streak, a mark he'll look to claim for his own this Saturday night when RSL travels east to take on D.C. United at RFK Stadium (5:30 p.m. MT, live on KUSG 2.2). Before that contest, Saborio and RSL will first meet United in qualifying play for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this Wednesday in a contest that will also take place at RFK Stadium at 5:30 p.m. (video stream available at RealSaltLake.com, audio broadcast at KALL 700 Sports and KALL700Sports.com).
more details after the jump:
With all four of his goals in May and two of his helpers coming at Rio Tinto Stadium, Saborío also played a large part in helping to extend Real Salt Lake's home unbeaten streak to 18 games overall and 15 in League play. Since joining Real Salt Lake on loan in March from Swiss side FC Sion, the dynamic striker has notched five goals and four assists while helping the Utah side get off to the best start in team history at 6-3-1.
While this is Saborío's first MLS Player of the Month honor, he was recognized earlier in May as the MLS Player of the Week for Week 8 thanks to his outstanding two-goal performance against the Houston Dynamo on May 13. Saborío becomes the third member of Real Salt Lake to earn MLS' monthly honor, joining FW Jeff Cunningham (August 2006) and GK Nick Rimando (July 2008).
The Major League Soccer Player of the Month is selected following the last regular season game of each month by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership guidelines can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
2010 MLS Player of the Month Winners
April: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)
May: Álvaro Saborío (Real Salt Lake)
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